It is well known in the design and manufacture of vehicles to provide a structure for supporting the engine. This structure, commonly called an engine cradle, includes suitable attachment to, and cooperates with the front chassis system of the vehicle for carrying and directing loads to and from the body of the vehicle.
An engine cradle of the prior art is mounted on the underbody of a vehicle and includes a pair of longitudinal arms extending from a forward cross frame at the front of the vehicle rearward to attachment points on the body of the vehicle near the passenger compartment. The engine cradle further includes a rear lateral member rigidly mounted to the longitudinal arms. The otherwise relatively straight longitudinal arms are curved out of the plane defined by the floor of the car. The forward cross frame, vehicle body and engine cradle form the front chassis system.
The front chassis system of a vehicle reacts and transmits loads among its members to predetermined locations. For instance, loads that are transmitted into the arms from the forward cross member are partially directed out of plane by the curved portions of the arms and partially transmitted to the body of the vehicle at the attachment points.